FC Cincinnati's Brenner headed to Italy

• by Paul Kennedy  @pkedit, Apr 26, 2023

Brenner, the young Brazilian forward, is leaving FC Cincinnati.

The MLS club has reached an agreement with Udinese for his transfer when the summer registration opens in Italy.

The 23-year-old has signed a five-year contract with Udinese for a transfer fee media reports have said total around $10 million, plus bonuses and a percentage of any future transfer fee.

Brenner was signed as a Young Designated Player in 2021 from Sao Paulo for a fee reported to be $13 million. He scored eight goals in 33 games in 2021 as FC Cincinnati finished last in MLS's overall standings for the third year in a row.

But FC Cincinnati broke out in 2022 as American Brandon Vazquez and Brenner both scored 18 league goals. FC Cincinnati reached the MLS playoffs for the first time, advancing to the Eastern Conference semifinals.

Brenner has scored one goal in seven games this season, missing the last two MLS matches while he finalized the Udinese deal. His three-year totals across all competitions are 27 goals in 72 appearances for Cincinnati.

He will remain with Cincinnati until the European transfer window opens at the start of July. His last game will be July 1 against New England. FC Cincinnati and the Revs are tied on points at the top of the Eastern Conference.

"We're extremely happy for Brenner that he's able to make this move and play in one of the biggest leagues in Europe," said FC Cincinnati GM Chris Albright. "Our ultimate goal is to win games for our incredible fans, and we understand that developing players is central to attracting the best talent. This is a significant transfer for our club and is a testament to everything our staff has done in the past year and a half. Our ownership will continue to give us the resources to compete and this transfer only adds to that commitment."

•Brenner played for Brazil at the 2017 U-17 World Cup.

Photo: Chicago Fire FC.